Validated Learning Quarter

Business Engagement Quarter (hereinafter, the Quarter) is the first of four lectures of Operations Quadrivium (hereinafter, the Quadrivium):

• The Quarter is designed to introduce its learners to enterprise discovery, or, in other words, to concepts related to obtaining data needed to administer the enterprise effort; and
• The Quadrivium examines concepts of administering various types of enterprises known as enterprise administration as a whole.

The Quadrivium is the first of seven modules of Septem Artes Administrativi, which is a course designed to introduce its learners to general concepts in business administration, management, and organizational behavior.

Outline

The predecessor lecture is Chief Execution Quarter.

Concepts

1. Business engagement.
2. Enterprise discovery. All activities resulted in obtaining of any data relevant to further effort development undertaken in order to achieve the effort goal or goals.
   • Ad hoc query. The ability to create a one-off, "on demand" report from BI or analytics software that answers a specific business question.
3. Concept artifact.
   • Wireframe. A rough guide for the layout of a website or app, either done with pen and paper or with wireframing software.
     1. Wireframe. A representation of the virtual framework of a website. Wireframes allow people to easily arrange elements to optimize ease of use.
   • Mockup. A model of a design, device, or product. A mockup is considered to be a prototype if it possesses any degree of functionality and enables testing of a design.
4. Prototype. A partial or preliminary conceptual model of a deliverable to be developed; this model is used as a reference, publicity artifact, or data-gathering tool.
   • Prototype. A rough guide for the layout of a website or app, giving an indication of the direction that the product is heading.
   • Low-fidelity prototype. A quick and easy translation of high-level design concepts into tangible and testable artefacts, giving an indication of the direction that the product is heading.
   • Paper prototype. A rough, often hand-sketched, drawing of a user interface, used in a usability test to gather feedback. Participants point to locations on the page that they would click, and screens are manually presented to the user based on the interactions they indicate.
   • Paper prototype. A type of usability testing where a user performs realistic tasks by interacting with a manual, early-stage version of the interface that is often manipulated by an individual who is upholding the illusion of computer interactivity. During this process, the details of how the interface is supposed to be used are withheld from the user.
   • Throw-away prototype. A prototype used to quickly uncover and clarify interface requirements using simple tools, sometimes just paper and pencil. Usually discarded when the final system has been developed.
   • Exploratory prototype. A prototype developed to explore or verify requirements.
   • Evolutionary prototype. A prototype that is continuously modified and updated in response to feedback from users.
   • Horizontal prototype. A prototype that shows a shallow, and possibly wide, view of the system's functionality, but which does not generally support any actual use or interaction.
   • Vertical prototype. A prototype that dives into the details of the interface, functionality, or both.
   • High-fidelity prototype. A prototype which is quite close to the final product, with lots of detail and a good indication of the final proposed aesthetics and functionality.
5. Experiment.
6. Pilot project.
7. Negotiation. A process in which two or more parties exchange goods or services and attempt to agree on the exchange rate for them.
   • Fixed pie. The belief that there is only a set amount of goods and services to be divided up between the parties.
   • Distributive bargaining. Negotiation that seeks to divide up a fixed amount of resources; a win-lose situation.
   • BATNA. The best alternative to a negotiated agreement; the least the individual should accept.
   • Integrative bargaining. Negotiation that seeks one or more settlements that can create a win-win solution.
   • Zero-sum approach. An approach that treats the reward "pie" as fixed, such as that any gains by one individual are at the expense of another.
   • Trade-off. Losing one quality or aspect of something in return for gaining another quality or aspect.
8. Change control.

Roles

1. Change control board (CCB). A small group of stakeholders who will make decisions regarding the disposition and treatment of changing requirements.
2. Third party.
   • Arbitrator. A third party to a negotiation who has the authority to dictate an agreement.
   • Conciliator. A trusted third party who provides an informal communication link between the negotiator and the opponent.
   • Mediator. A neutral third party who facilitates a negotiated solution by using reasoning, persuasion, and suggestions for alternatives.
3. Tester. A stakeholder responsible for assessing the quality of, and identifying defects in, a software application.

Methods

1. Testing. The data-gathering technique that is based on taking measures to check the performance and/or reliability of somebody, especially before making agreements, or something, especially before putting it into widespread use or practice.
   • Black box test. A test written without regard to how the software is implemented. These tests show only what the expected input and outputs will be.
   • User acceptance test. Test cases that users employ to judge whether the delivered system is acceptable. Each acceptance test describes a set of system inputs and expected results.
   • Acceptance test. The derivative from the acceptance criteria that verifies whether a feature is functional. The test has only two results: pass or fail. Acceptance criteria usually include one or more acceptance tests.
   • Usability test. A user sits in front of your website or app and you have them perform tasks and think out loud while doing so.
   • Contextual inquiry. Interviewing users in the location that they use the website or app, in order to understand their tasks and challenges.
   • Diary study. Asking users to record their experiences and thoughts about a product or task in a journal over a set period of time.
   • Unit testing. A short program fragment written for testing and verifying a piece of code once it is completed. A piece of code either passes or fails the unit test. The unit test (or a group of tests, known as a test suite) is the first level of testing a software development product.
   • User research. Observation techniques, task analysis, and other feedback methodologies which are used to focus on understanding user behaviors, needs, and motivations.
   • Alpha test. Controlled internal testing of a pre-production model, intended to detect design flaws or functionality deficiencies.
   • Beta test. External pilot-test after Alpha testing is complete and prior to commercial production. In beta testing, the product is released to a limited number of customers for testing under normal, everyday conditions in order to detect any flaws. (see 10 Experiments To Test Your Startup Hypothesis)
2. Inspection. A formal type of peer review that utilizes a predefined and documented process, specific participant roles, and the capture of defect and process metrics. See also structured walkthrough.
   • Inspection. The data-gathering technique that is based on careful examination of something in order to either learn about its features or check whether its features confirm its specifications.
   • Inspection. Examination or measurement of work to verify whether an item or activity conforms to a specific requirement.
3. Audit. A planned and documented activity performed by qualified personnel to determine by investigation, examination, or evaluation of objective evidence the adequacy and compliance with established procedures or the applicable documents and the effectiveness of implementation.
4. Fail-fast. The process of starting work on a task or project, obtaining immediate feedback, and then determining whether to continue working on that task or take a different approach—that is, adapt. If a project is not working, it is best to determine that early on in the process rather than waiting until too much money and time has invested.
5. Trial and error. A problem solving technique, which represents repeated, varied attempts to solve a problem continued until either success or stopping trying.
6. Dogfooding. A company showing confidence in their own product by using it themselves. Derived from the expression “eating your own dog food.”

Instruments

1. Prototyping tool.
   • Axure. A wireframing and interactive prototyping tool, available for both Windows and Mac.
   • Balsamiq Mockups. A wireframing and interactive prototyping tool, available for both Windows and Mac.

Results

1. Findings register.

Practices

1. • Source valuation. Overall review of capabilities and ranking of prospective suppliers either to request for proposals or to enter into negotiations for the award of the contract.
   • Information system. A structured, interacting, complex of persons, machines, and procedures designed to produce information which is collected from both internal and external sources for use as a basis for decision-making in specific contract/procurement actions.
   • Data review. Review of capabilities and performance related data to determine its adequacy.
   • Data verification. Verification of data to check its accuracy.
   • Ranking. Qualitative or quantitative determinations of prospective supplier's capabilities and qualifications in order to select one or more sources to provide proposed material/ services.
   • Organizational performance. A comprehensive review of the original specification, statement of work, scope and contract modifications, with a purpose to avoid pitfalls in future procurements.
   • Contractor performance. A comprehensive review of contractor's technical and cost performance and work delivery schedules.

The successor lecture is Business Analysis Quarter.